Electric signal mechanism for overhead-trolley systems.



, H. A. LINES. ELEGTRIG SIGNAL MECHANISM 30R OVERHEAD TROLLEY SYSTEMS.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 23,1908.

924,800, Patented June 15, 1909 2 SHEETSBHEBT 1.

ms NuRRls PETERS .70., wAsHnvcroN, \L cv H. A. LIN ES, ELEGTRIG SIGNALMECHANISM FOR OVERHEAD TROLLEY SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED DBU.Z3,1903. 924,800. Patented June 15, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS cu, WASHINGTON. v. c.

HAROLD A. LINES, OF WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR OVEBHEAD-TROLLEY SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1909.

Application filed December 23, 1908. Serial No. 468,907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, T'TAROLD A. LINES, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Haven, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in ElectricSignal Mechanism for Overhead -Trolley Systems; and I do hereby declarethe following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsand the numerals of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute partof this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1 a perspective view of an electric signal mechanism forover-head trolleys shown as connected with a trolley and supported bythe span wire. Fig. 2 a sectional elevation. Fig. 3 a similar view ofthe parts when the lights are thrown on. Fig. 4 a longitudinal sectionalview. Fig. 5 an enlarged sectional view showing the connection betweenthe contact link and its operating link. Fig. 6 a diagrammatic viewshowing the electric circuits.

This invention relates to an improvement in electric signal mechanismfor overhead signals and particularly to mechanism for throwing lightson or off at the ends of a block by the passing of a trolley car, theobject being a simple arrangement of parts which are operatedmechanically to make positive contact; to avoid the danger of burningcontacts; to assure the relighting of a signal following the renewal ofpower after a blow-out; and mechanism which permits of a car backing outof a block and resetting the signal lights; and the invention consistsin the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described andparticularly recited in the claims.

M 7 improved mechanism is mounted in a suitable casing 2 secured to atrolley wire 3 and supported by the over-head span-wire 4. Vithin thebox is a longitudinally movable lever 5 connected with an arm 6 pivotedin the case and extending down over the trolley wire 3 into the path ofthe trolley wheel 7. Pivotally connected with the lever 5 is a link 8mounted on a stud 9 midway between the contact-finger 10 and thecontact-finger 11, the contact-finger 10 leading to the ground and thecontact-finger 11 to the trolley-wire. Pivoted in the case is acontact-link 12 adapted to engage with either contact points 10 or 11.This contact link 12 is formed with a recess 13 through which a pin 14:carried by the link 8 extends and between the pin 14L and the rivet 15on which the contact link 12 is mounted on a spiral spring 16. On thearm 5 at the upper edge is a block or projection 17 and at the loweredge near the outer end is a corresponding block 18. Within the case isa coiled magnet 19 having an arm 20 connected with an armature 21 andextending up into the path of the lever 5 which rests upon it. Tonormally force the lever 5 dowmvard, a spring-0perated bell-crank 22 isemployed, and to return the inner end of the arm a coil spring 23 may beused.

Starting with the position shown in Fig. of the drawings, when a carenters the block (in the direction of the arrow a), the trolley wheel 7will engage with the arm (3 and throw the lever 5. In this movement ofthe lever the block 17 will engage with the upper end of the link 8 andmove it on its pivot 9. This movement of the link 8 moves the contactlink 12 and turns its lower end from the contact-finger 11 to thecontactfinger 10 and turns on the lights at both ends of the block. Atthe same time the magnet 19 is energized and the armature 21 raised,which raises the arm 20 and lifts the lever 5 as shown in broken linesin Fig. 2 and shown in Fig. 3. This lifts the block 17 out of the pathof the levers and so that another car entering the block from the samedirection will not affect the lights, it being the custom when there areone or more cars fol-. lowing, the head car carries some indicatingsignal to that effect. If, however, with the lights as set, a work carshould enter the block, it will not affect the signal as the movement ofthe arm 6 by the inwardly moving car will not change the switches as thelever 5 will freely move above them and if the .211 backs out of theblock it will not change the signal lights as the lever will be out ofthe path of the switch. If a car, for instance, a work car, should enterthe block it will set the signals as before described. Then when repairsare completed, instead of necessarily going to the end of the block inorder to reset the signals, it may be backed out of the block, andmoving in the direction of the arrow Z) will turn the arm 6 in theopposite direction, and when the lights are set the block 18 is in thepath of the upper end of the link 8 and so that when the lever 5 isdrawn inward this block 18 will engage with the upper end of the link 8and throw it to its previous position, and therefore turn the contactlink 12 from the contact finger 10 to the contact finger 11, or into thenormal position. It will be understood that the signal mechanism isarranged at each end of the block so that a car entering the block willthrow the lights on, and as it passes out of the block will turn thelights off.

The circuits are as follows :One, of the contact links 12 is connectedby a wire 2 k to its adjacent magnet 19, from the magnet to the light 25by a wire 26, from the light 25 to the light 27 by a wire 28, from thelight 27 to the other magnet 19 by a wire 29, from the magnet 19 to theother contact link 12 by a wire 30. the ends of the contact links 12being connected respectively through the contact fingers 11 by wires 31,32, with the trolley wire. The function of the spring 16 in the contactlink 12 is to hold the, end of the contact link in close engagement withthe contact fingers 10 and 11. As shown in the diagram of Fig. 6 thelights are turned off, but a car moving into the block in eitherdirection will turn them on for the reason that a car moving in thedirection of the arrow at will turn the contact link 12 to the contactfinger 10, and hence ground the wire and complete the circuit, turningon the lights. Or if a car enters the other end of the block from thedirection of the arrow Z), the link 12 will be thrown into its contactwith the ground, and thus close the circuit from that end. Thus thelights can be thrown in by a car entering the one end of the block andbe thrown out when a car passes out of the block. A car entering theblock from the direction of the arrow a will. throw on the lights andturn the link 8 into the path of the block 18 on the lever 5. ,As thecar passes out of the block the lights will be extinguished and thearmature in the first box dropped. The lights being out, a second carmay enter the block in the direction of the arrow (1 and moving thelever 5 will cause the block 17 to engage with the upper end of thecontact link 12. and so reverse the position of that link and throw thelights on, it being understood that the connections form a three-wayswitchso that any change in the connections at either end will make achange in the lights.

1. An electric signal mechanism for over head trolley systems comprisinga box, a

longitudinally movable lever, an arm connected therewith and extendinginto the path of a trolley wheel, said lever provided with blocks, alink pivoted in thecase and extending into the path of said blocks, acontact link pivoted in the case and pivotally connected with said link,contact fingers with which said contact link may engage, a magnet, anarmature actuated thereby, and

whereby when the armature is raised, the

connection between the lever and armature,

lever will be lifted, substantially as de scribed.

2. An electric signal mechanism for overhead trolley systems comprisinga box, a longitudinally movable lever, an arm connected therewith andextending into the path of a trolley wheel, said lever provided withblocks, a link pivoted in the case and extending into the path of saidblocks, a contact link pivoted in the case formed with a slot, a pin onsaid lever extending into said slot, a spring bearing on said pin,contact fingers withwhich said contact lever may engage, a magnet, anarmature, connection between the armature and said lever for holdingsaid lever out of the path of said links, substantially as described.

3. An electric signalmechanism for over head trolley systems comprisingabox adapted to be mounted on a trolley wire, a longitudinally movablelever w1th1n said box, an

arm pivoted in the box and engaged with said lever and extending intothe path of the trolley wheel, said lever formed with blocks,

a link pivoted to the case and extending into the path of the saidblocks, a contact link pivoted in the case and coupled with said link,contact fingers with which the contact link may engage, aspring-actuated bellcrank lever bearing on the upper end of said 7longitudinally movable lever, a magnet, an armature raised by saidmagnet and connected with said lever, whereby the lever may be lifted.out of the path of said links, electric connections with signal lights,whereby the lights may be turned off or on by the movement of saidlever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscrib-

